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Germany

Bonn - 1987

What used to be known as West Germany
was Dave's locale for high school in the late 1980's. Living in Europe
was certainly a new way of life for a kid from Montana, one that awoke
a burning interest in seeing more of the world

While this wasn't in West Germany,
the Brandenburg Gate remained a symbol of Deutschland, even when it was
a divided country. This is a view from the Eastern sector (notice the Wall
running behind the gate)

Most of my pictures are stored out
of the country, but these are fairly typische scenes: (left) the
pedestrian zone for shopping, (center) the gluehwein stands that
pop up around Christmas, (right) and of course the main train station that
every city had.

Berlin was still a divided city during
this period, and the Wall was a constant reminder of the very real possibility
of war that always hung over the continent.

I remember how permanent the situation
seemed at the time- there was new construction going up on the Russian
side of Checkpoint Charlie.

One of the opportunities the circumstances
presented was the chance to see the Eastern sector, with the East German
troops changing the guard at their tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

And, being the kid that I was, I couldn't
resist having my picture taken alongside a stone-faced soldier.